Rip My Heart Out (Avengers Age of Ultron)

Chapter 25

The flight wasn't as long as I expected it to be. I knew we were in a hurry and I knew Tony's quinjet was the best technology had to offer, but it seemed like we were in Seoul in the time it would have taken me to drive from Manhattan to Brooklyn. I guess that isn't saying a whole lot, but still.

"Em, please listen to me. If you really want to be on this team-" Steve began. Hearing him speak to me as not just Captain America, but my Leader, my Captain, was going to take some getting used to, that's for sure.

"I promise Steve. I'm here for you on this, in any way you need it, and if that means standing aside, I'll listen." I said, with full sincerity.

Steve nodded at me once and jumped from the back of the plane, as if he was just jumping a few feet to the ground. I knew that probably wasn't the case without even looking. I knew Steve didn't need a parachute, but I'd be lying if the pulsing in my chest didn't quicken slightly at the thought of him falling through the air.

"He'll be fine." Nat's voice made me jump. I hadn't realized she was standing right behind me.

"I know. But it's still hard not to worry about him, you know?" I said.

"I know." Nat said, clapping me once on the shoulder before walking over to Clint. She sat beside him, monitoring all of the tech on the dashboard alongside him.

I sighed and adjusted the earpiece Steve had given me. I paced back and forth across the length of the quinjet, wondering if I would ever not worry about Steve, or any of the others in the field. I felt the pulsing in my chest began to reach out to Steve instinctively. I wanted to watch over him, but him and I both knew it was better for all of us if I didn't overexert myself and make things worse.

I had a feeling whatever was going to happen here was not going to be the end. The worse was yet to come, and if I really wanted to protect my team, I needed to be able to be there for them when all hell broke loose.

I took a deep breathe and made an effort to pull the energy back towards my chest. The energy obeyed, and it came rushing back, instantly making my head feel better. I hadn't even realized it had begun to ache.

"Dr. Cho!" I heard Steve shout through the earpiece. My chest tightened, expecting to hear the worse.

"He's uploading himself into the body." I heard Helen's voice through Steve's comm. She was injured, I could tell by the way she spoke. The pulsing in my chest increased to dangerous levels.

"Where?" Steve asked.

"The real power is inside the cradle. The gem... It's power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the cradle to Stark." Helen said, labored.

"I have to find it first." Steve said.

"Go." Helen replied. She was strong. I admired her for that.

"Did you guys copy?" Steve asked. He was leaving her there. I know it was necessary but the thought of Helen lying in her lab injured and alone made my skin begin to glow an electric blue.

'The gem... It's power is uncontainable.' Helen's voice echoed through my head. I looked at my hands. She was right. The stone was powerful and dangerous. No one knew that better than I did.

I could hear myself breathing fast, but I didn't know how to stop. I didn't know how to calm down. I vaguely felt myself begin to track something, but it took me a moment to realize my shadow self was standing by the stone. I looked through the eyes of my clone, seeing Ultron and two of his own minions. The cradle sat between us.

Inside the cradle was...

"Em!" Suddenly, I was brought back to the quinjet. Nat had me by the shoulders and she was shaking me rapidly.